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Crack Pasta

This is a story about the greatest pasta salad that ever was. My friend Cara’s dad has this recipe for pasta salad that is indescribably addictive. Something about the combination of vinegar, sugar and salt is so powerfully compelling that sometimes you eat an entire box of pasta before you notice what’s happened. Cara kindly taught me to make this wondrous thing, but when I changed my diet, away went crack pasta and its necessary parmesan cheese.

But then, I learned to make vegan parmesan cheese and the door to true happiness reopened. Once again the wonders of crack pasta were possible, and frankly, I think it might be better than ever–not to mention better for you. Below are the secrets, just make sure you have some kind of pasta support group to help pry the fork out of your hands.

This pasta salad is full of green and has an addictive salty-sweet flavor. It's also extremely easy to make and lasts well in the fridge for a couple of days. What are you waiting for?

Prep Time:25m

Cook Time:10m

Total Time:30m

Serves:4

Ingredients

1/2of a small to medium sweet onion, diced finely

5tablespoonsNewmans' Own Vinegar and Olive Oil Dressing

1teaspoonsugar

1teaspoonsalt or to taste

1teaspoondried sweet basil

5tablespoonsvegan parmesan cheese (can use store bought, or make as per link above)

1small bag frozen peas (or 2! I do two)

1small box lima beans (go for the big kind, but if you can't find, the small will do)

1poundspinach fusilli (plain will do, spinach is way better. and prettier).

Instructions

Boil salted water for the pasta and cook until al dente according to the directions. Drain and set aside.

Put the onion in the bottom of a wooden salad bowl. Pour the Newman's Own dressing over the top and push it around with a spoon until the onion is good and coated. Add some sugar and salt, maybe half of the above, as well as a good sprinkling of dried sweet basil. Let sit a good 10 mins or so while you do other things.

Mix the peas and lima beans together in a colander and run hot water over them until they are room temperature. You can also thaw in a pot over heat, but I always find this makes frozen beans soggy.

Add the drained pasta to the onion-dressing mixture in the wooden bowl. Mix in the peas, limas and 4-5 tbsps of vegan parmesan. Toss everything well to coat in dressing. Now is the art of crack pasta. It will likely need a little more of everything and it never seems to be the same. Add some more sugar, salt, parmesan, basil and even dressing, tasting with each add until it\'s just right. Don't get overly eager, small sprinklings go a long way, and you want it to be gently perfect, not aggressively so. You'll know when you've got it right because you'll be curled up in the corner of your couch licking the empty wooden bowl. Don't say I didn't warn you.